Kia Motors posts 4.8% increase in October overseas sales

NEWS

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

CONTACT: Michael Choo (mjc@kia.co.kr  ),
International Communications Manager, Kia Motors Corporation, Tel:
+82-2-3464-5663

 

Kia Motors posts 4.8% increase in October overseas sales

 

- 66,542 Kia vehicles sold overseas in October

- Sales in Europe, North America and general market post 12.3%, 1.4% and
-2.5% year-on-year growth, respectively, in October

- Cumulative overseas sales through October post 2.4% year-on-year gain

 

(SEOUL) November 1, 2006 -- Kia Motors Corporation announced today that its
overseas retail sales of passenger cars and light trucks in October 2006
recorded 66,542 units, representing a 4.8% year-on-year increase. 

 

By region, Europe posted a year-on-year sales rise of 12.3% in October with
28,152 units sold. Meanwhile, sales of Kia vehicles in North America and the
general market recorded 23,210 units (1.4% year-on-year increase) and 15,180
units (2.3% year-on-year decrease), respectively.

 

Cumulatively through the first ten months of 2006, Kia's overseas sales have
risen by 2.4% year-on-year to reach 699,238 units, with Europe showing the
largest gain at 4.9%. North American sales have increased by 2.8% while
general market sales have decreased by 2.3% through the month of October.

 

So far in 2006, Kia's best selling model in export markets has been the
C-segment Cerato (also known as 'Spectra' in some markets) with 109,484
units sold. Meanwhile, the A-segment Picanto -- a highly popular seller in
Europe -- recorded the second most sales units with 106,856 vehicles
delivered, followed closely by the Sorento mid-size SUV with 106,576 units
sold. Other strong sellers so far in 2006 have been the Sportage compact SUV
(86,479 units) and the B-segment Rio (85,866 units). 

 

Jung-Moon Park, Senior Executive Vice President and COO of Kia Motors
Corporation, said, "The steady growth of Kia sales in the European region
thus far in 2006 has been supported by strong demand for our vehicles in the
Eastern Europe and CIS countries, which has seen sales of Kia cars increase
by 42% year-on-year through October." 

 

"In the world's other major market of North America, we expect to see
growing sales in the coming months as the upgraded versions of the 4-door
and 5-door Spectra (Cerato) - the best-selling Kia vehicle in the region -
and the flagship luxury Amanti (Opirus) sedan enter dealer showroom
throughout the US and Canada," he added.

 

Editor's notes: 

 

1) Figures do not include domestic sales and KD (knock down) exports
assembled at overseas plants including China. 

 

2) "General market" includes the regions of Central & South America, Asia &
Pacific, and Middle East & Africa.

 

Kia Motors Corporation (
<http://autoway.kia.co.kr/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.kiamotors.com
/> www.kiamotors.com or www.kia.com <http://www.kia.com/> ) -- one of the
fastest growing automakers in the world -- was founded in 1944 and is
Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. As part of the Hyundai-Kia
Automotive Group, Kia aims to become one of the world's premier automotive
brands. Kia's 14 manufacturing and assembly operations in 9 countries
produce more than 1.3 million vehicles a year that are sold and serviced
through a network of distributors and dealers covering 160 countries. Kia
today has over 32,500 employees and annual revenues of almost $16 billion.
It is the major sponsor of the Australian Tennis Open and an official
worldwide sponsor of the Davis Cup. From 2007 to 2014, Kia will be an
official automotive partner of FIFA -- the governing body of the FIFA World
Cup. Kia Motors Corporation's brand slogan -- "The Power to Surprise" --
represents the company's global commitment to surpassing customer
expectations through continuous automotive innovation.

 

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